Breech plug with magnetic connector

ABSTRACT

A breech plug for use with a muzzleloading firearm includes a magnetic holding member for drawing a primer into engagement with the breech plug and allowing simple disengagement of the primer after the firing of the associated firearm. The breech plug includes a cylindrical body having a distal end and a breech end, with the breech end defining a recessed seat that is surrounded by a shoulder to receive the magnetic holding member and primer. The magnetic holding member is secured to the shoulder or the recessed seat to attract the primer into engagement within the shoulder of the breech plug to be struck by a firing pin or hammer. After the firearm is shot, the user is able to easily remove the primer from the magnetic holding member.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention generally relates to breech plugs for muzzleloading firearms. More particularly, the invention relates to an improved breech plug for a muzzleloading firearm that holds a primer in a desired position.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Muzzleloader weapons are those firearms having a barrel with a muzzle end and a breech end, and into which a bullet or projectile is loaded from the muzzle end of the firearm. Such firearms generally include a breech plug that is threadably received within the breech end of the barrel, with the breech plug typically having a nipple or similar member for receiving a primer. The primer is a preferred means for igniting black powder charge in the muzzleloading firearm, and includes a priming mixture that is usually covered with a foil or paper liner. The primer is placed on or proximate the breech end of the breech plug (such as in relation to the nipple) and, when the primer is struck, the explosive material within the primer is compressed between the shell of the primer and the breech plug, igniting a primary flash that is directed through the breech plug to a flash hole where the primary flash ignites a powder charge or propellant. In practice, the primer should fit the breech plug only tight enough so that it does not fall off when the barrel or breech plug is displaced from the firearm. A primer that is too tightly connected with the nipple could result in a premature discharge.

Various breech plug designs have been created over time to adapt the muzzleloading firearm to use the primer to address various problems, such as holding the primer in the plug until the firing of the firearm and then removing the casing of the cap from the plug after the firearm has been fired. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,216,380 describes a breech plug that incorporates a spring-loaded clip to hold a primer, with the clip being used to retain the primer within the breech plug. A disadvantage with this design is that the spring-loaded clip is difficult for the user to control, and it places an axial force on the primer that can potentially misalign the primer and further cause the firearm to sporadically malfunction. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 7,073,283 describes a breech plug that includes a primer holder, with the primer holder having a series of slots extending radially from a central aperture to receive the prongs of a retaining spring that will secure the primer in the holder. Thus, this design also presents a problem in that the primer-engaging spring is small and difficult to control while positioning the primer with the breech plug.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A breech plug for use with a muzzleloading firearm is described herein comprising a magnetic holding member for securely drawing a primer into engagement with the breech plug and allowing simple disengagement of the primer after the firing of the associated firearm. The breech plug includes a cylindrical body having a distal end and a breech end. The breech end of the breech plug defines a recessed seat that is surrounded by a shoulder to receive the magnetic holding member and the primer. The magnetic holding member will abut and be secured to the shoulder or the recessed seat, or both, with the shoulder extending from the recessed seat and beyond the height of the magnetic holding member.

The magnetic holding member will thereby attract the primer into engagement with the breech plug within the shoulder of the breech plug to be struck by a firing pin or hammer of the firearm. The magnetic holding member is able to control the position of the primer so that it is in proper placement to be struck by the pin. After firing of the firearm, the user is able to easily remove the primer from the magnetic holding member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A breech plug having a magnetic connector is depicted in the accompanying drawings, which form a portion of this disclosure, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of the breech plug engaging a first firearm;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the breech plug engaging a second firearm;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the breech plug;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the breech plug;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the breech plug having a magnetic holding member taken along the lines A-A of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the breech plug without a magnetic holding member as illustrated in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a breech end view of the breech plug with a magnetic holding member as illustrated in FIG. 4;

FIG. 8 is a distal end view of the breech plug as illustrated in FIG. 4;

FIG. 9 is a side view of the magnetic holding member used in the breech plug; and

FIG. 10 is a top end view of the magnetic holding member as illustrated in FIG. 9.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

An improved breech plug 10 engaged with a barrel 16 of a muzzleloading firearm 8 is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. The breech plug 10 will steadily hold a primer 24 in a desired position with respect to a firing pin 9 a (see FIG. 1) or a hammer element 9 b (see FIG. 2), and will allow simple removal of the primer 24 after being struck by the firing pin 9 a or hammer element 9 b.

A preferred embodiment of the improved breech plug 10 is further illustrated in FIGS. 3-10. The breech plug 10 has a generally cylindrical body 12 with external threads 14 adapted to threadably engage a breech end 18 of the firearm barrel 16. The cylindrical body 12 of the breech plug 10 has a first or distal end 20 positioned inside the barrel 16 (proximate the propellant powder and projectile (not illustrated)) and a second or breech end 22 that is designed to hold a primer 24, as discussed herein. A central channel 26 extends through the cylindrical body 12 from the breech end 22 to the distal end 20. In one embodiment, the diameter of the central channel is substantially 0.125 inches through the breech end 22 of the body 12, and is reduced to approximately 0.031 inches in the distal end 20 of the body 12, although these dimensions may vary from firearm to firearm.

The breech end 22 of the breech plug 10 defines a cylindrically-shaped shoulder 28 surrounding a recessed seat 30 or base (see FIG. 6). The shoulder 28 has an inner diameter that is on the order of 0.258 inches. The outer diameter of the magnetic holding member 32, illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10, is on the order of 0.25 inches, or slightly less than the diameter of the shoulder 28, such that the magnetic holding member 32 may be slid into the area surrounded by the shoulder 28 to rest on the recessed seat 30. A cavity 34 traverses the magnetic holding member 32 to allow for proper operation of the firearm 8. In particular, the magnetic holding member 32 may be a permanent magnet conventionally known as a donut magnet having a cylindrical or tubular shape. The diameter of the cavity 34 of the magnetic holding member 32 is substantially 0.125 inches. Once placed on the recessed seat 30, the cavity 34 of the magnetic holding member 32 and the central channel 26 of the cylindrical body 12 are coaxial to each other (as shown in FIG. 5), defining an opening that runs through the breech plug 10 to direct the primary flash created when the primer 24 is struck. As noted above, the cavity 34 and the central channel 26 have a generally constant diameter until the distal end 20 of the cylindrical body 12 in which the diameter is reduced to approximately 0.031 inches. Additionally, once the magnetic holding member 32 is placed on the recessed seat 30, the shoulder 28 will surround the periphery of the magnetic holding member 32 (as shown in FIG. 7), with the shoulder 28 extending from the recessed seat 30 beyond the magnetic holding member 32 (as shown in FIG. 5). Again, while the aforementioned dimensions are provided as an illustration of one embodiment, it is noted that these dimensions may vary pursuant to the particular firearm being used.

The magnetic holding member 32 may be securely positioned within the shoulder 28 or on the seat 30 in a variety of ways. In one embodiment, an adhesive, such as the settable resinous liquid adhesive known by the trademark of Loctite®, may be used to connected the magnetic holding member 32 with the shoulder 28 or the seat 30. That is, the adhesive may be distributed around a portion of the outer periphery of the magnetic holding member 34 to engage the inner surface of the shoulder 28, the outer surface of the recessed seat 30, or both surfaces. In another embodiment, the magnetic holding member 32 may be press fit to tightly engage the shoulder 28 for a secure connection. In yet another embodiment, the magnetic field of the magnetic holding member 32 that is used to attract the primer 24 (as described further herein) could also be used to draw the magnetic holding member 32 into engagement with the breech plug 10.

Referring again to FIGS. 1 and 2, once the magnetic holding member 34 is securely positioned within the breech end 28 of the cylindrical body 12, the primer 24 or primer may be seated on the magnetic holding member 32. In particular, the magnetic field of the magnetic holding member 32 will attract certain metallic materials in the primer 24, such as any magnetic materials in the casing of the primer 24. Therefore, the primer 24 will remain in continuous engagement with the magnetic holding member 32 in a position that is most desirable for direct contact to be made by the firing pin 9 a or hammer 9 b. Furthermore, while the magnetic attraction of the magnetic holding member 32 will keep the primer 24 in place, it is not so strong as to prevent or hinder the removal of the primer 24 from the breech plug 10.

The operation of the improved breech plug 10 in a muzzleloading firearm 8 is best illustrated in FIG. 2. The breech plug 10 is connected to the barrel 16 of the muzzleloading firearm 8 by threadably attaching the breech plug 10 within the breech end 18 of the firearm 8, with the cylindrical body 12 substantially residing within the barrel 16 and the breech end 28 of the cylindrical body 12 residing outside the barrel 16. The primer 24 is then positioned proximate the magnetic holding member 34, such that the magnetic holding member 34 will maintain the primer 24 in the desired position. As with a conventional muzzleloading firearm 8, the barrel 16 is further loaded by inserting propellant powder and a projectile into the barrel 16 and forcing the powder and projectile into the barrel 16 and against the distal end 20 of the breech plug 10. Finally, the firearm is prepared for firing by cocking the firing pin 9 a (see FIG. 1) or the hammer element 9 b (see FIG. 2).

Once the firearm 8 has been prepared, it is fired in a conventional manner by pulling a trigger 11 thereby causing the firing pin 9 a or hammering element 9 b to strike the primer 24. The struck primer 24 produces a flame and hot gases, which travel through the cavity 34 of the magnetic holding member 32 and the central channel 26 of the breech plug 10 and into the powder to ignite the powder and cause rapid expansion of hot gases to propel the projectile from the barrel 16. After the primer 24 has been struck, the barrel 16 may be rotated or otherwise displaced for access to the breech end 22 of the cylindrical body 12, such that the used primer 24 may be easily removed and replaced with a new primer 24.

The foregoing description is set forth in a detailed manner, but it is to be understood that various modifications of detail, rearrangement, and multiplication of parts might be resorted to without departing from its spirit, essence, or scope. It is also contemplated that the improved breech plug can also be used in other firearms and apparatus.

Having thus described exemplary embodiments of the present invention, it should be noted by those skilled in the art that the within disclosures are exemplary only and that various other alternatives, adaptations, and modifications may be made within the scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments as illustrated herein, but is only limited by the following claims. 

1. A breech plug for releasably holding a primer in a muzzleloading firearm comprising: a body having a distal end and a breech end, said breech end having a recessed seat surrounded by a shoulder; and a magnetic holding member abutting said shoulder and said recessed seat to attract the primer into engagement with said breech plug.
 2. The breech plug as described in claim 1 further comprising: a first channel traversing said body, said first channel having a first diameter through a substantial portion of said body; and a second channel traversing said magnetic holding member, said second channel having a second diameter substantially equal to said first diameter.
 3. The breech plug as described in claim 1, wherein said magnetic holding member is a donut magnet.
 4. The breech plug as described in claim 1 further comprising an adhesive connecting said magnetic holding member with said recessed seat.
 5. The breech plug as described in claim 1 further comprising an adhesive connecting said magnetic holding member with said shoulder.
 6. The breech plug as described in claim 1 wherein said magnetic holding member is press fit to engage said breech end of said body.
 7. The breech plug as described in claim 1 wherein said magnetic holding member is magnetically drawn to engage said breech end of said body.
 8. A breech plug positioning a primer in a muzzleloading firearm in a desired position, said breech plug comprising: a cylindrical body having a first end and a second end, said second end defining a cylindrical shoulder around a recessed seat; and a magnet proximate said recessed seat to attract the primer into engagement with said breech plug.
 9. The breech plug as described in claim 8 further comprising: a primary channel traversing said cylindrical body; and a secondary channel traversing said magnet.
 10. The breech plug as described in claim 9, wherein said primary channel includes a first diameter and said secondary channel includes a second diameter, said second diameter being substantially equivalent to said first diameter.
 11. The breech plug as described in claim 8, wherein said magnet is a tubular-shaped permanent magnet.
 12. The breech plug as described in claim 8 further comprising an adhesive connecting said magnet with said recessed seat.
 13. The breech plug as described in claim 8 further comprising an adhesive connecting said magnet with said shoulder.
 14. The breech plug as described in claim 8 wherein said magnet is press fit to engage said second end of said cylindrical body.
 15. The breech plug as described in claim 8 wherein said magnet is magnetically drawn to engage said second end of said cylindrical body.
 16. In a muzzleloading firearm having a barrel with a breech end and a distal end, the improvement of a breech plug for accurately positioning a primer for use in the muzzleloading firearm comprising: a body having a first end and a second end, said second end including a shoulder adjoining a base; and a magnetic holding member proximate said second end to attract the primer into engagement with said breech plug.
 17. The breech plug as described in claim 16 further comprising: a first channel traversing said body; and a second channel traversing said magnetic holding member, wherein said first channel is coaxial to said second channel.
 18. The breech plug as described in claim 17, wherein said primary channel includes a first diameter and said secondary channel includes a second diameter, said second diameter being substantially equivalent to said first diameter.
 19. The breech plug as described in claim 16 wherein said shoulder includes an inner diameter and said magnetic holding member includes an outer diameter, wherein said inner diameter is slightly greater than said outer diameter.
 20. The breech plug as described in claim 16 further comprising means for positioning said magnetic holding member proximate said second end of said breech plug. 